Here we go again. The most intense rivalry and storied history in Australian sport. The most bitter competition between two teams, two states and two cultures is on again at Suncorp Stadium this Wednesday night. It may not seem like a rivalry of this magnitude due to the current Queensland dominance, but we will not forget 31 years of hate and history to suggest it will be one sided again this year.

Queensland deserves favouritism and this will be apparent when they run out on the field at 8.05pm. NSW fans have a way of convincing ourselves that we are a chance in the lead up to games over the past few years but at 8.05pm, the truth hits us like an Andrew Gee cheap shot. This QLD team is good, very good and NSW will need to be at their defensive best to stop them. Looking at the team Ricky Stuart has built for Game 1, this is exactly the approach he has taken.

Talk during the week in Sydney, as it always is, has been about how NSW can overthrow the King, (or